Where are the wasps?

axe2grind

Not that I'm complaining :pac:...but 2 years ago...none, last year overrun with them :eek:, this year none

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

They are around alright. It's too early for the home and garden invasion as they seek out sugar from us. They are still taking aphids and feeding the hive at present. Plenty of nests about too.

magicbastarder

we had a fair few of them yesterday in a friend's garden in greystones.

axe2grind

Its a local thing so.

I'm usually aware of quite a few nests, but know of none this year and usually they'd be starting on the apples by now but none

Superdaddy

Very true, they are very scarce this year thankfully. They should have appeared by now. It's like it was 2 years ago, I wonder if they are experiencing similar problems to bees with colony collapses.

TopTec

More than usual around here in East Mayo. Over at a farm at the weekend where a nest had appeared right next to the back door in a fir. As I left I flipped up my hoodie and one of the little fluckers was inside and stung the top of my head.

Still have a slight buzz on it now!

TT

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

The usual numbers here for the end of August.

thyme

The plum tree's are usually swarming with wasp's this time of year but not this year, not even one. You would think twice about putting your hand up to pick the plum's any other year. I see other strange things happening this year as well, but that's a different story.

mr.wiggle

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/503975/Woman-Bed-Wasp

Why , oh why have people an aversion to wasps? Surely some conservationist should have been contacted before they decided to exterminate the hive/nest?
The amount of times I've chastised friends, family member's and work colleagues
when they tell me about destroying nests is crazy. Every time, and I mean every time I've asked any person if they've been stung by a wasp the answer is no.
I can't for the life of me understand why wasps are persecuted so much?

The story above makes me sad to think of it. All that effort for nothing.:(

As a side note, I haven't seen a single wasp around this year where I live.
Normally the little blighters are buzzing in and out of my kitchen windows.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

mr.wiggle wrote: »

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/503975/Woman-Bed-Wasp

Why , oh why have people an aversion to wasps? Surely some conservationist should have been contacted before they decided to exterminate the hive/nest?
The amount of times I've chastised friends, family member's and work colleagues
when they tell me about destroying nests is crazy. Every time, and I mean every time I've asked any person if they've been stung by a wasp the answer is no.
I can't for the life of me understand why wasps are persecuted so much?

The story above makes me sad to think of it. All that effort for nothing.:(

As a side note, I haven't seen a single wasp around this year where I live.
Normally the little blighters are buzzing in and out of my kitchen windows.

I agreed with all you posted until I read the article. Dead right you would get that nest removed. There are limits to all things: even to our love and regard for Nature.

fryup

on the subject of wasps, what type is this?

a wood wasp?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

fryup wrote: »

on the subject of wasps, what type is this?

a wood wasp?

Ichneumon or Giant Wood Wasp. Beautiful creatures.

JoannieG

The wasps have all moved to Donegal - we've had more this August than in previous years, and more stings too! If you want them back you're welcome to them!

fryup

Maxton Uninterested Motorist wrote: »

Ichneumon or Giant Wood Wasp. Beautiful creatures.

but when i do an image search for giant wood wasp they look different from the one in my photo

the wasp in my photo has black antenna and in the image search there yellow and the body seems to be slightly different too

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

My bad! It is Ichneumon Rhyssa persuaroria but it is not the giant wood wasp. It is a parasite of the giant wood wasp. Sorry for the bum steer